Once viewed only as infectious invaders, bacteria are now understood to play an important role in overall health. For example, the gut microbiome—the community of microorganisms that inhabit the human gastrointestinal tract—has garnered much attention recently as studies have explored its relationship with health and disease. But what about the mouth? The mouth is the second most diverse human microbial system and, as the start of the digestive system, is directly and frequently exposed to the external environment. However, it has been vastly overshadowed by the focus on the gut. Now, a collaborative team including Modupe O. Coker of Penn ...

When several wildfires ignited in Los Angeles in early January of 2025, Miriam Marlier’s friends and neighbors came to her with questions about how to find reliable air quality information. Marlier is a UCLA scientist and a member of the Western Fire and Forest Resilience Collaborative (WFFRC), a program of Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies led by Cary forest ecologist Winslow Hansen. Guided by decision makers, the collaborative conducts research to inform solutions to the Western US fire crisis. During the January fires, “people were urgently trying ...

Fukuoka, Japan—Researchers at Kyushu University have developed a novel organic molecule that simultaneously exhibits two highly sought-after properties: efficient light emission suitable for advanced displays and strong light absorption for deep-tissue bioimaging. This breakthrough addresses a long-standing challenge in molecular design, paving the way for next-generation multifunctional materials. Their study, published online in the journal Advanced Materials on July 29, 2025, was conducted in collaboration with ...

Tropical cyclone cluster events over the North Atlantic. This image from NOAA's GOES-16 satellite on September 14, 2020, shows five tropical systems spinning in the Atlantic basin at one time. From left to right: Hurricane Sally in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Paulette east of the Carolinas, the remnants of Tropical Storm Rene in the central Atlantic, and Tropical Storms Teddy and Vicky in the eastern Atlantic. A total of 10 named storms formed in September 2020 — the most for any month on record. (Image credit: NOAA) Tropical cyclones, commonly known as typhoons or hurricanes, can form in clusters and impact coastal regions ...

Fighting off pathogens is a tour de force that must happen with speed and precision. A team of researchers at CeMM and MedUni Vienna led by Christoph Bock and Matthias Farlik has investigated how macrophages—immune cells that are the body’s first responders—master this challenge. Their study, published in Cell Systems (DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2025.101346), offers a time-resolved analysis of the molecular processes that unfold when these cells encounter various pathogens. They developed a new method that combines gene editing and machine learning, which identified key regulators of ...

About The Study: In this cohort study of adults prescribed semaglutide, initiation was associated with reductions in weight and cardiovascular risk factors but increases in health care expenditures, excluding semaglutide costs. These findings suggest potential clinical benefits in routine practice, while highlighting the need to evaluate the long-term impact of semaglutide on economic outcomes. Corresponding Authors: To contact the corresponding authors, email Jason Abaluck, PhD, (jason.abaluck@yale.edu) ...

About The Study: In this cross-sectional study of 143 health conditions among persons in 50 states and Washington, DC, per capita pharmaceutical use was highest among white populations and lowest among Asian or Pacific Islander and Hispanic populations. However, after standardizing for age and disease prevalence (for 52 conditions with available data), prescription fills were substantially lower for Black populations relative to the all-population mean. These patterns varied by state, highlighting the need for local- and condition-specific ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A mobile phone app designed to deliver suicide-specific therapy reduced suicidal behavior among high-risk psychiatric inpatients, according to a new study by scientists at Yale School of Medicine and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine. The study, published Aug. 8, 2025 in JAMA Network Open, found that the app, OTX-202, reduced the recurrence of post-discharge suicide attempts by 58.3% among patients who had previously attempted suicide. This reduction is a critical achievement for a group that is particularly vulnerable to repeated suicidal behaviors, the researchers said. Users of the app also experienced ...

Seoul National University College of Engineering announced that a research team led by Professor Seung Hwan Ko of the Wearable Soft Electronics Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, has developed a wearable electronic device that attaches to the skin like a bandage and enables real-time, continuous monitoring of blood pressure over extended periods.   Unlike conventional cuff-based blood pressure monitors that use an inflatable air bladder to apply pressure to the arm, this new technology continuously measures blood pressure with a compact, flexible electronic patch, garnering ...

The endangered South African cycad Encephalartos horridus may resemble a relic from the Jurassic age, but the species itself evolved long after dinosaurs disappeared. Still, it carries a biochemical legacy inherited from its distant ancestors—plants that once thrived alongside Jurassic fauna. A team led by Hiroshima University (HU) researchers found that its spiky, silvery-blue leaves owe their color not to pigment, but to a wax-based optical effect produced by a lipid compound that may date back to the dawn of land plants. In ...

Boston, MA — Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed a blood test that could transform the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma (MM) and its precursor conditions. The new method, known as SWIFT-seq, utilizes single-cell sequencing to profile circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood, offering a non-invasive alternative to traditional bone marrow biopsies. The study was published in Nature Cancer. “A lot of work has gone into the identification of genomic and transcriptomic features that predict worse outcome in MM, but we are still lacking the tests to measure them in our patients, said ...

In early 2025, wildfires spread in Los Angeles, destroying tens of thousands of homes and businesses. During the fires, smoke blanketed the region and online maps provided residents with rapid air quality information. Now, a study in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters compares the data that went into the maps from federal monitoring stations, low-cost sensors and satellites. Their results highlight the importance of combining multiple data sources to form easily accessible information for the public. “Timely and accurate air quality information is crucial for the public to ...

“A building is only as strong as its foundation” is a common adage to signify the importance of having a stable and solid base to build upon. The type and design of foundation are important for ensuring the structural safety of a building. Among several factors that can affect the design and laying of a foundation, bearing stratum depth, namely the depth at which the underlying layer of soil or rock has adequate strength to support a foundation, is one of the most crucial. This is because in regions that are prone to earthquakes or landslides, the bearing stratum depth, also ...

Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer as well as the third highest cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. In particular, a subtype of liver cancer known as hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for around 80% of all liver cancer cases. Given the increasing disease burden of hepatocellular carcinoma globally, a Commission consisting of experts in a wide range of fields – from clinical medicine to public health – has now been established to tackle this issue. Recently, in a comprehensive ...

Fukuoka, Japan—As global energy demand increases, researchers, industries, governments, and stakeholders are working together to develop new ways of meeting that demand. This is especially important as we address the ongoing climate crisis and transition away from fossil fuels. One very promising type of energy generation is solid-oxide fuel cells, or SOFCs. Unlike batteries, which release stored chemical energy as electricity, fuel cells convert chemical fuel directly into electricity and continue to do so as long as fuel is provided. A common ...

The University of California, Irvine School of Social Ecology today released the results of its latest UCI-OC Poll, shedding light on the changing nature of work in Orange County two years after the official end of the COVID-19 pandemic.   Conducted from June 20 to July 1, 2025, the survey of 800 Orange County adults offers insights into remote work preferences, attitudes toward artificial intelligence and overall job satisfaction – providing valuable insights for business leaders and policymakers navigating ...

Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” has stirred the souls of art lovers for over a century. Now, its swirling skies may also speak to physicists, as it echoes the patterns of quantum turbulence. Physicists at Osaka Metropolitan University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have for the first time successfully observed the quantum Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI) — a phenomenon predicted decades ago but never before seen in quantum fluids. The instability produces exotic vortex patterns known as eccentric fractional skyrmions, whose crescent-shaped structures ...

Science Advisory Highlights: Most ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are characterized by poor nutritional quality, contributing to excessive calories, and are typically high in saturated fats, added sugars and sodium (salt), the combination of which is often abbreviated as HFSS, which contribute to adverse cardiometabolic health outcomes, including heart attack, stroke, obesity, inflammation, Type 2 diabetes and vascular complications. Observational studies have found links between eating higher amounts of UPFs and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, chronic illness and mortality. Emerging evidence also suggests certain additives and industrial processing techniques ...

What happens to a social robot after it retires?  Four years ago, we placed a small owl-shaped reading robot named Luka into 20 families’ homes. At the time, the children were preschoolers, just learning to read. Luka’s job was clear: scan the pages of physical picture books and read them aloud, helping children build early literacy skills.  That was in 2021. In 2025, we went back — not expecting to find much. The children had grown. The reading level was no longer age-appropriate. Surely, Luka’s work was done.  Instead, ...

When Singapore celebrated its 50th  year of independence in 2015, a team of student researchers led by Associate Professor Foong Shaohui from Singapore University Technology and Design (SUTD) embarked on an ambitious challenge: to design and build a drone capable of 50 minutes of sustained flight. At the time, most hobbyist quadcopters could barely manage half of that. The SG50 Multi-Rotor Drone project succeeded, but to fly that long, the craft had to be large, complex, and heavy.   A decade on, Assoc Prof Foong has reached new heights in his drone research—this time by going small and pursuing a completely different ...

A novel ε-poly-L-lysine-loaded sodium-alginate/gelatin hydrogel (PSG15) has shown exceptional promise in accelerating the healing of infected wounds. This multifunctional injectable hydrogel delivers robust antibacterial properties while regulating macrophage polarization and stabilizing the skin microbiota. It significantly inhibited bacterial growth, including that of E. coli and S. aureus, and promoted tissue regeneration in infected wounds. In animal models, PSG15 enhanced angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and wound closure. These findings demonstrate the ...

Chronic diabetic wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers, are a significant burden for patients, as impaired blood vessel growth hinders the healing process. A recent breakthrough offers hope by combining small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) loaded with miR-221-3p and a GelMA hydrogel to target thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), a protein that suppresses angiogenesis. This new bioactive wound dressing not only accelerates healing but also promotes blood vessel formation, offering a promising new approach to treating one of the most challenging complications of diabetes. Diabetic wounds, particularly foot ulcers, are notorious for their slow and often incomplete healing due to reduced blood flow and endothelial ...

Osaka, Japan – A Japanese superconducting quantum computer, fully designed and built with homegrown components and software, went live on July 28th at The University of Osaka’s Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology (QIQB). This achievement signifies Japan's technological prowess in quantum computing, demonstrating the nation's capacity to design, manufacture, and integrate a complete quantum system. Visitors to Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan will have the opportunity to interact with this cutting-edge technology through a dedicated exhibit. The project, spearheaded ...

To a hawk an airport can look like the perfect place to settle down. The layout provides ample open space, perches, and nice habitat for a variety of prey species. However, congregations of birds, especially big birds, poses a safety issue for aircraft. A new study focused on Cooper’s Hawks (Accipiter cooperii), published in the Journal of Raptor Research, found that removing a hawk from an airfield and taking it somewhere else, called translocation, can serve as a method for reducing this risk. Researchers also showed that ...

MIAMI, FLORIDA (AUG. 7, 2025) – Researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, have documented their use of a new RNA sequencing technology to uncover molecular drivers of cellular differentiation that could lead to better regenerative therapies. In addition to being used in the lab, the technique, Rapid Precision Run-On Sequencing (rPRO-seq), has the potential to help doctors understand patients’ disease states and response to treatment in real time. The findings appear ...